Geher nu an spell
be ðæm ofermodum
unrihtwisum
eorðan cyningum,
ða her nu manegum
and mislicum
wædum wlitebeorhtum
wundrum scinað
5
on heahsetlum,
hrofe getenge,
golde gegerede
and gimcynnum,
utan ymbestandne
mid unrime
ðegna and eorla.
þa bioð gehyrste
mid heregeatwum
hildetorhtum,
10
sweordum and fetelum
swiðe geglengde,
ælc oðrum,
and hi ealle him
ðonan mid ðy ðrymme
þreatiað gehwider
15
and se hlaford ne scrifð,
ðe ðæm here waldeð,
freonde ne feonde,
feore ne æhtum,
ac he reðigmod
ræst on gehwilcne,
wedehunde
wuhta gelicost;
bið to up ahæfen
inne on mode
20
for ðæm anwalde
þe him anra gehwilc
Gif mon ðonne wolde
him awindan of
þæs cynegerelan
claða gehwilcne,
and him þonne oftion
ðara ðegnunga
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and þæs anwaldes
ðe he
ær[?] hæfde,
ðonne meaht ðu gesion
þæt he bið swiðe gelic
sumum ðara gumena
þe him geornost nu
mid ðegnungum
ðringað ymbeutan;
gif he wyrsa ne bið,
ne wene ic his na beteran.
30
Gif him þonne æfre
unmendlinga
weas geberede
þæt him wurde oftogen
þrymmes and wæda
and þegnunga
and ðæs anwaldes
þe we ymbe sprecað,
gif him ænig þara
ofhende wyrð,
35
ic wat þæt him þynceð
þæt he þonne sie
becropen on carcern,
oððe coðlice
racentan geræped.
Ic gereccan mæg
þæt of ungemete
ælces ðinges,
wiste and wæda,
wingedrinces,
40
and of swetmettum,
swiðost weaxað
þære wrænnesse
wodðrag micel;
sio swiðe gedræfð
sefan ingehygd
monna gehwelces,
þonan mæst cymeð
yfla ofermetta,
unnetta saca.
45
þonne hi
gebolgene[?] weorðað,
him wyrð on breostum inne
beswungen sefa on hraðre
mid ðæm swiðan welme
hatheortnesse,
and hreðe siððan
unrotnesse
eac
geræped[?],
hearde gehæfted.
Him siððan onginð
50
sum tohopa
swiðe leogan
þæs gewinnes wræce;
wilnað þæt irre
anes and oðres;
him þæt eall gehæt
his recelest,
rihtes ne scrifeð.
Ic ðe sæde ær
on ðisse selfan bec
55
þæt sumes goodes
sidra gesceafta
for his agenum
ealdgecynde.
Unrihtwise
eorðan cyningas
ne magon æfre þurhtion
awuht goodes
60
for ðæm yfle
þe ic ðe ær sæde.
Nis ðæt nan wundor,
forðæm hi willað hi
þæm unðeawum
þe ic ðe ær nemde,
anra gehwelcum,
a underðeodan.
Sceal ðonne nede
nearwe gebugan
65
to ðara hlaforda
hæftedome[?],
þe he hine eallunga ær
underþiodde.
ðæt is wyrse get,
þæt he winnan nyle
wið ðæm anwalde
ænige stunde;
þær he wolde a
winnan onginnan,
70
and þonne on ðæm gewinne
þurhwunian forð,
þonne næfde he
nane scylde,
ðeah he oferwunnen
weorðan sceolde.